Published: 12 March 2023
Penned by British author Neil Gaiman, “Coraline” is a dark fantasy tale that follows the bewitching adventures of a little girl named Coraline Jones, as she journeys to an alternate world through a secret door in the wall of her new home.
This captivating and creepy children’s novella, illustrated by Dave McKean, won multiple awards including the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for “Best Work for Young Readers” and the 2003 Hugo Award for “Best Novella”. It was also ranked #82 in The Guardian’s list of 100 Best Books of the 21st Century.
Initially, Gaiman believed the book would be no more than five to ten pages long. However, he quickly realized the story had other plans.
In the special material exclusive to the limited edition of the novella, Gaiman explains: “It was a story, I learned when people began to read it, that children experienced as an adventure, but which gave adults nightmares. It’s the strangest book I’ve written, it took the longest time to write, and it’s the book i’m the proudest of.”
In 2009, a stop-motion animated film of Coraline was released. The movie was directed by none other than Henry Selick, the mastermind behind “The Nightmare Before Christmas”.
The film went on to win the BAFTA Award for “Best Feature Film”, three Annie Awards and “Movie of the Year” at the 2010 American Film Institute Awards. It also received Academy-Award and Golden Globe nominations in 2010. It currently scores 90% on the tomato meter on Rotten Tomatoes.
Critically-acclaimed writer Neil Gaiman is also widely recognized for his comic book series “The Sandman” and novels such as “American Gods”, “The Graveyard Book” and “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”.
Gaiman’s fondness for the mythical and the magical is unwavering. In a Q&A published in the limited edition of Coraline, Gaiman reveals, “I think most things are pretty magical, and that it’s less a matter of belief than it is one of just stopping to notice.”
So why not take a moment to wind down and appreciate the sweet scents of honeysuckle and fruitcake that punctuate Coraline’s intrepid adventures.
Without delay, let’s discover the foods and drinks featured in “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman:
Fruitcake
Miss Spink, Coraline’s eccentric yet endearing neighbour, brings up fruitcake in chapter 1. Turns out this festive treat is potentially lethal to dogs. Hamish, the Highland terrier, certainly got lucky the first time around.
“‘You see, Caroline,’ Miss Spink said, getting Coraline’s name wrong, ‘both myself and Miss Forcible were famous actresses, in our time. We trod the boards, luvvy. Oh, don’t let Hamish eat the fruitcake, or he’ll be up all night with his tummy.’“– Chapter I (page 13)
Cheese
Contrary to popular belief, mice aren’t that crazy about cheese. Tom and Jerry lied to us this whole time…But that won’t stop Mr Bobo, the old man living upstairs, from his circus experiments.
“‘All the songs I have written for the mice to play go oompah oompah. But the white mice will only play toodle oodle, like that. I am thinking of trying them on different types of cheese.“– Chapter I (page 14)
On a less appealing note, expired cheese is spotted by Coraline and her mother in the fridge upon returning home from shopping in chapter 3.
“They got home around lunchtime. The sun was shining, although the day was cold. Coraline’s mother looked in the fridge and found a sad little tomato and a piece of cheese with green stuff growing on it. There was only a crust in the bread bin.“– Chapter III (page 37)
Fish Fingers
According to a 2015 article published by The Guardian, fish fingers “were introduced to the UK market in 1955 with the sales pitch: ‘No bones, no waste, no smell, no fuss.'” These battered/breaded fish products quickly come to mind as Coraline’s mother brainstorms lunch options in chapter 3.
“‘I’d better dash down to the shops and get some fish fingers or something,’ said her mother. ‘Do you want to come?'”– Chapter III (page 37)
Leek & Potato Stew
Have you ever cooked with tarragon? This often-overlooked herb has a very subtle liquorice flavour and is used by Coraline’s father to garnish a homemade leek and potato stew.
“‘It’s leek and potato stew with a tarragon garnish and melted Gruyère cheese,’ he admitted.”– Chapter I (page 21)
Chips & Pizza
At the beginning of the book, Coraline shows a strong distaste for her father’s overly-elaborate recipes, opting for frozen meals instead.
“Coraline sighed. Then she went to the freezer and got out some microwave chips and a microwave minipizza.“– Chapter I (page 21)
In chapter 5, frozen pizza is revealed as Coraline’s go-to dinner when her parents aren’t home.
“When it began to get dark, Coraline microwaved herself a frozen pizza. Then Coraline watched television. She wondered why grown-ups gave themselves all the good programs, with all the shouting and running around in.”– Chapter V (page 64-65)
Pizza is also mentioned when Coraline is finally reunited with her real parents in chapter 12. This time around, Coraline happily eats the homemade pizza made by her father despite some questionable toppings. Pineapple on pizza, yay or nay?
“Dinner that night was pizza, and even though it was homemade by her father (so the crust was alternately thick and doughy and raw, or too thin and burnt), and even though he had put slices of green pepper on it, along with little meatballs, and of all things, pineapple chunks, Coraline ate the entire slice she had been given.”– Chapter XII (page 172)
Milk
Home milk delivery has become quite a rarity in today’s day and age. But the old man living with mice can still count on his milkman to deliver the cold dairy beverage right outside his home.
“He picked up a milk bottle from the bottom of the stairs and started back up to his attic flat.”– Chapter II (page 28)
Tea & Garibaldi Biscuits
Bored silly, Coraline heads to Miss Spink and Miss Forcible’s flat for a much needed British afternoon tea in chapter 2.
“‘Oh, it’s you, Caroline.’ she said. ‘Angus, Hamish, Bruce, down now, luvvies. It’s only Caroline. Come in, dear. Would you like a cup of tea?’“– Chapter II (page 30)
At the flat, Coraline is served Garibaldi biscuits (a.k.a squashed fly biscuits). Rest assured, no flies are harmed in the making of these cookies, which are simply flavoured with dried currants.
“They poured Coraline a cup of tea in a little pink bone china cup, with a saucer. They gave her a dry Garibaldi biscuit to go with it.“– Chapter II (page 30)
In chapter 2, Coraline’s first tea leaf reading, also known as “tasseography”, happens alongside Miss Spink and Miss Forcible. The reading of black tea leaves eventually leads to a warning about imminent danger.
“She sipped her tea. ‘I’ll read the leaves, if you want,’ said Miss Spink to Coraline. ‘Sorry?’ said Coraline. ‘The tea leaves, dear. I’ll read your future.’ Coraline passed Miss Spink her cup. Miss Spink peered shortsightedly at the black tea leaves in the bottom. She pursed her lips. ‘You know, Caroline,” she said, after a while, ‘you are in terrible danger.’ “– Chapter II (page 31)
Digestive Biscuits, Limeade & Tea
Alone and still wondering about her parents’ whereabouts, Coraline pays another visit to Misses Spink and Forcible for much needed sweets and treats in chapter 5. This time, she is also offered a delicious, bright green drink.
“For tea she went down to see Misses Spink and Forcible. She had three digestive biscuits, a glass of limeade, and a cup of weak tea. The limeade was very interesting. It didn’t taste anything like limes. It tasted bright green and vaguely chemical. Coraline liked it enormously. She wished they had it at home.”– Chapter V (page 65)
In chapter 13, Coraline pays Misses Spink and Forcible yet another visit and gets more insight on her upcoming battle with the evil hand.
“Miss Spink and Miss Forcible came back from visiting Miss Spink’s niece, and Coraline went down to their flat for tea. It was a Monday.”– Chapter XIII (page 183) “Miss Forcible insisted on reading Coraline’s tea leaves. On Wednesday Coraline would go back to school: a whole new school year would begin. Miss Forcible insisted on reading Coraline’s tea leaves.”– Chapter XIII (page 183)
Bowl of fruit
Still-life paintings with fruit aren’t too thrilling for Coraline. If you ask me, someone should have introduced her to Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s 1591 painting “Vertumnus“.
“The family did not use the drawing room. They had inherited the furniture from Coraline’s grandmother, along with a wooden coffee table, a side table, a heavy glass ashtray, and the oil painting of a bowl of fruit. Coraline could never work out why anyone would want to paint a bowl of fruit.“– Chapter II (page 38)
In chapter 6, we get more details on the painted fruits as Coraline explores the drawing room of her other parents.
“Everything was exactly the same as she remembered: there was all her grandmother’s strange-smelling furniture, there was the painting of the bowl of fruit (a bunch of grapes, two plums, a peach and an apple) hanging on the wall, there was the low wooden table with the lion’s feet, and the empty fireplace which seemed to suck heat from the room.”– Chapter VI (page 91)
A slightly modified version of the fruit painting is mentioned in chapter 11 as Coraline draws near the end of her gruelling game with the other mother.
“Her grandmother’s formal furniture was still there, and the painting on the wall of the strange fruit (but now the fruit in the painting had been eaten, and all that remained in the bowl was the browning core of an apple, several plum and peach stones, and the stem of what had formerly been a bunch of grapes).“– Chapter XI (page 157)
Roasted Chicken, Fried Potatoes & Peas
In chapter 3, Coraline shares her first meal with her other family. So what’s for lunch? No less than a roasted feast!
“They sat at the kitchen table, and Coraline’s other mother brought them lunch. A huge, golden-brown roasted chicken, fried potatoes, tiny green peas. Coraline shoveled the food into her mouth. It tasted wonderful.”– Chapter III (page 41-42)
As Coraline devours the food, she finds herself comparing it with the less-than-perfect meals of her real parents back home.
“‘Would you like some more chicken?’ It was the best chicken that Coraline had ever eaten. Her mother sometimes made chicken, but it was always out of packets or frozen, and was very dry, and it never tasted of anything. When Coraline’s father cooked chicken he bought real chicken, but he did strange things to it, like stewing it in wine, or stuffing it with prunes, or baking it in pastry, and Coraline would always refuse to touch it on principle. She took some more chicken.“– Chapter III (page 42)
Box of Chocolates
In chapter 4, Coraline is rewarded with a box of chocolate after surviving the knife throwing trick on stage with the other Misses Spink and Forcible.
“Miss Spink gave Coraline a very small box of chocolates and thanked her for being such a good sport. Coraline went back to her seat. ‘You were very good,’ said the little dog. ‘Thank you,’ said Coraline.”– Chapter IV (page 57)
Chocolate for dogs? What a silly thought! And yet, Coraline ends up sharing her small box of chocolate with the little dog sitting beside her at the theater in the other realm.
“Coraline opened the box of chocolates. The dog looked at them longingly. ‘Would you like one?’ she asked the little dog. ‘Yes, please,’ whispered the dog. ‘Only not toffee ones, They make me drool.’ ‘I thought chocolates weren’t very good for dogs,’ she said, remembering something Miss Forcible had once told her. ‘Maybe where you come from,’ whispered the little dog. ‘Here, it’s all we eat.’“– Chapter IV (page 57-58)
“‘Have you got any more chocolates?’ said the dog. Coraline gave the dog another chocolate.“– Chapter IV (page 58)
Ok, so let me get this straight…In chapter 4, Coraline uncovers a never-ending theater show with an audience of dogs who only eat chocolate? This parallel universe gets stranger by the minute!
“‘How long does this go on for?’ asked Coraline. ‘The theater?’ ‘All the time,’ said the dog. ‘For ever and always.’ ‘Here,’ said Coraline. ‘Keep the chocolates.’ ‘Thank you,’ said the dog. Coraline stood up. “– Chapter IV (page 58-59)
Coconut
The quest for the perfect filling is one that befalls on every owner of a box of assorted chocolates. And what a sweet quest it is!
“Coraline couldn’t see what the chocolates were, in the dark. She took an experimental bite of one which turned out to be coconut. Coraline didn’t like coconut. She gave it to the dog.”– Chapter IV (page 58)
Peanut Butter & Jelly Toast
In chapter 5, Coraline decides to make herself a classic PB&J sandwich while she waits for her real parents to come back home.
“Her mother still hadn’t returned from her shopping expedition. Coraline went to the freezer and took out the spare loaf of frozen bread in the bottom compartment. She made herself some toast, with jam and peanut butter. She drank a glass of water.”– Chapter V (page 64)
Canned spaghetti
It’s the next morning and Coraline still hasn’t seen her parents since returning from the other realm. But alas, life must go on… Ultimately, the 11-year-old settles on canned food for breakfast. Ever started your day with tinned spaghetti?
“In the morning she went into her parents’ room, but their bed hadn’t been slept in, and they weren’t around. She ate canned spaghetti for breakfast.“– Chapter V (page 65)
Cooking Chocolate & Yellow Apple
Cooking chocolate is known for being less sweet than regular chocolate. But what kid would want that? Coraline remedies this situation by pairing it with a sweet, yellow apple.
“For lunch she had a block of cooking chocolate and an apple. The apple was yellow and slightly shriveled, but it tasted sweet and good.”– Chapter V (page 65)
Limeade, Chocolate Cake & Apples
In chapter 5, Coraline uses her savings to purchase fruit, chocolate and a beverage at the nearby supermarket.
“She opened her money box and walked down to the supermarket. She bought two large bottles of limeade, a chocolate cake, and a new bag of apples, and went back home and ate them for dinner.“– Chapter V (page 66)
As she prepares to venture back into the parallel world, Coraline picks up two apples for the road.
“She put an apple into each pocket. She picked the ring of keys and took the old black key off the ring.”– Chapter V (page 72)
Rich in symbolism, apples have always played an important role in folklore, mythology and fairy tales. As expected, the apples end up being quite useful to Coraline during her chilling adventures, providing her with nourishment and comfort.
“‘I don’t need a snack,’ she said. ‘I have an apple. See?’ And she took an apple from her dressing-gown pocket, then bit into it with relish and an enthusiasm that she did not really feel.”– Chapter V (page 78-79)
“Coraline sat down on the sofa and ate her apple.“– Chapter V (page 81)
“She took her last apple out of the pocket of her dressing gown and then took, from the same pocket, the stone with the hole in it.”– Chapter VI (page 88)
“Her stomach rumbled. She ate her last apple, taking the tiniest bites, making it last as long as she could. When she had finished she was still hungry.”– Chapter VII (page 109)
Hot Chocolate & Orange Juice
One of the worst things for a kid is not to be taken seriously. In chapter 5, the sceptical police officer suggests a warm beverage to comfort Coraline’s fears away instead of helping her find her missing parents.
“‘You ask your mother to make you a big old mug of hot chocolate, and then give you a great big old hug. There’s nothing like hot chocolate and a hug for making the nightmares go away. And if she starts to tell you off for waking her up at this time of night, why you tell her that that’s what the policeman said.’ He had a deep, reassuring voice.”– Chapter V (page 71)
Hot chocolate is also offered twice to Coraline while visiting the alternate world: once by her other father in chapter 5 and once by her other mother in chapter 8. Both times, Coraline avoids the drink.
“The other father, who had been sitting on a chair in the hallway, stood up and smiled. ‘Come on into the kitchen,’ he said. ‘I’ll make us a midnight snack. And you’ll want something to drink – hot chocolate perhaps?’“– Chapter V (page 78)
“She placed the breakfast plate in front of Coraline, along with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a mug of frothy hot chocolate.”– Chapter VIII (page 114)
“She drank the orange juice, but even though she knew she would like it she could not bring herself to taste the hot chocolate.”– Chapter VIII (page 116)
Black Beetles
In recent years, the practice of eating insects has become a rather familiar sight around the world. High in protein, black beetles are commonly enjoyed by “people living in the Amazon basin, parts of Africa, and other heavily forested regions”. That being said, watching beetles being ripped apart and eaten alive by the evil beldam remains a horrific scene for Coraline.
“Expecting it to be a toffee or a butterscotch ball, Coraline looked down. The bag was half filled with large shiny blackbeetles, crawling over each other in their efforts to get out of the bag.”– Chapter VI (page 98)
“She carefully picked out a particularly large and black beetle, pulled off its legs (which she dropped, neatly, into a big glass ashtray on the small table beside the sofa), and popped the beetle into her mouth. She crunched it happily. ‘Yum,’ she said, and took another. ‘You’re sick,’ said Coraline. ‘Sick and evil and weird.’ ‘Is that any way to talk to your mother?’ her other mother asked, with her mouth full of blackbeetles.”– Chapter VI (page 99)
“The other mother sat on the sofa. Her mouth was set in a line; her lips were pursed. She popped another blackbeetle into her mouth and then another, like someone with a bag of chocolate-covered raisins.“– Chapter VI (page 100)
“Then the other mother said, “Manners!” She folded the white paper bag carefully so no blackbeetles could escape, and she placed it back in the shopping bag.“– Chapter VI (page 100)
“She picked Coraline up and pushed her into the dim space behind the mirror. A fragment of beetle was sticking to her lower lip, and there was no expression at all in her black button eyes.“– Chapter VI (page 101)
Blackbeetles are also mentioned in chapter 12 as Coraline recognizes the other mother’s vengeful right hand.
“She knew what it was, and she knew what it was after. She had seen it too many times in the last few days, reaching and clutching and snatching and popping blackbeetles obediently into the other mother’s mouth. Five-footed, crimson-nailed, the color of bone. It was the other mother’s right hand. It wanted the black key.”– Chapter XII (page 180)
Eggs, Cheeses, Butter & Bacon
The culinary arts are no stranger to the other mother. In chapter 8, we discover her recipe for cheesy morning eggs, as she tries to distract Coraline from her noble quest. (PS: let me know if you try this recipe!)
“She was bustling between the pans and the fridge, bringing out eggs and cheeses, butter and a slab of sliced pink bacon.“– Chapter VIII (page 112)
“Her other mother smiled gently. With one hand she cracked the eggs into a bowl; with the other she whisked them and whirled them. Then she dropped a pat of butter into a frying pan, where it hissed and fizzled and spun as she sliced thin slices of cheese. She poured the melted butter and the cheese into the egg-mixture, and whisked it some more.”– Chapter VIII (page 112-113)
“‘Smell the lovely breakfast I’m making for you.’ She poured the yellow mixture into the pan. ‘Cheese omelette. Your favourite.‘”– Chapter VIII (page 113)
“The bacon was sizzling and spitting under the grill. It smelled wonderful.”– Chapter VIII (page 113)
Once seated at the breakfast table, Coraline attempts to make a deal with the devilish beldam. Come to think of it…many important transactions happen around food. Business dinners are no joke!
“The other mother took the bacon from under the grill and put it on a plate. Then she slipped the cheese omelette from the pan onto the plate, flipping it as she did so, letting it fold itself into a perfect omelette shape.“– Chapter VIII (page 114)
Garlic, Tarragon & Broad Beans
Also known as fava beans, broad beans aren’t suitable for babies due to possible allergies. However, despite being old enough to eat them, Coraline simply refuses to ingest those oval, bright green legumes.
“‘And will there be awful meals, with food from recipes, with garlic, and tarragon and broad beans in?’ asked Coraline. ‘Every meal will be a thing of joy,’ whispered the voice from under the old man’s hat. ‘Nothing will pass your lips that does not entirely delight you’.”– Chapter X (page 147)
In chapter 13, the scent of raw garlic invades Coraline’s nostrils as she relievedly hugs Miss Forcible.
“She gave them both tight hugs, although her arms barely stretched around Miss Spink, and Miss Forcible smelled like the raw garlic she had been cutting. Then Coraline picked up her box of dolls and went out.”– Chapter XIII (page 196)
Salads, Sandwiches, Nuts, Fruits, Lemonade, Water & Chocolate Milk
After her perilous adventures and a celebratory pizza dinner at home, Coraline falls into a deep slumber. In her dream, the little girl discovers a beautiful picnic and reunites with three children she once met behind the mirror.
“There was a white linen cloth laid on the grass, with bowls piled high with food – she could see salads and sandwiches, nuts and fruit, jugs of lemonade and water and thick chocolate milk. Coraline sat on one side of the tablecloth while three other children took a side each. They were dressed in the oddest clothes.”– Chapter XII (page 173)
Boiled Potato, Cooked Trout, Bread, Jam And Flowers
No picnic is complete without some kind of potato dish. In chapter twelve’s dream picnic, the once-imprisoned children are finally able to enjoy some delicious food and express their deepest gratitude to Coraline for freeing them.
“His face was dirty, and he was piling his plate high with boiled new potatoes and with what looked like cold, whole, cooked, trout. ‘This is the finest of pic-nics, lady,’ he said to her.”– Chapter XII (page 173)
“‘And we are more grateful for it and for all than ever words can say.’ She was eating slices of bread and jam, deftly cutting the bread from a large golden-brown loaf with a huge knife, then spooning on the purple jam with a wooden spoon. She had jam all around her mouth.“– Chapter XII (page 174)
The girl with the butterfly wings is quite the florivore! Edible flowers add more than just beauty to a plate. They are rich in vitamins, minerals and compounds with high antioxidant activity.
“The girl’s plate was piled high with pretty flowers. She smiled at Coraline, as if it had been a very long time since she had smiled and she had almost, but not quite, forgotten how.”– Chapter XII (page 174)
Ice Cream, Honeysuckle Flowers
After a game of ball in the meadow, Coraline and the children enjoy a refreshing bowl of ice cream (except for the winged girl who, you guessed it, nibbling on some more flowers).
“And then, without a word about it being spoken, the game was done, and the four of them went back to the picnic cloth, where the lunch dishes had been cleared away, and there were four bowls waiting for them, three of ice cream, one of honeysuckle flowers piled high.”– Chapter XII (page 175)
“‘Thank you for coming to my party,’ said Coraline. ‘If it is mine.’ ‘The pleasure is ours, Coraline Jones,’ said the winged girl, nibbling another honeysuckle blossom.”– Chapter XII (page 175)
“‘It’s a very fine thing you did for us, Miss.’ said the tall girl. She now had a smear of chocolate ice cream all around her lips.”– Chapter XII (page 176)
Meat/Hamburger Meat
In chapter 13, the old man living upstairs (a.k.a Mister Bobo) recalls meat being used as bait to catch unwelcomed weasels in his childhood home.
“‘In my country we would have put down a trap for it, maybe put down a little meat or hamburger, and when the creature comes to feast, then – bam! – it would be caught and never bother us more.'”– Chapter XIII (page 185)
“‘I don’t think it wants meat,’ said Coraline. She put her hand up and touched the black key that hung about her neck. Then she went inside.”– Chapter XIII (page 185)
Porridge, Ice Cream And Bug Sandwiches
In chapter 13, Coraline recalls the quirky song her father used to sing to her when she was a little baby. The repulsion towards insect eating is emphasized once more.
“‘Oh – my twitchy witchy girl I think you are so nice, I give you bowls of porridge And I give you bowls of ice Cream. I give you lots of kisses, And I give you lots of hugs, But I never give you sandwiches With bugs In.”– Chapter XIII (page 191)
(Invisible) Cherry Cake
Last but not least, Coraline serves invisible cherry cake to her dolls in the final chapter, as she lures the evil hand to its doom.
“‘Who would like a piece of cherry cake? she asked. ‘Jemima? Pinky? Primrose?’ and she served each doll a slice of invisible cake on an invisible plate, chattering happily as she did so.”– Chapter XIII (page 192)
“‘Jemima!’ said Coraline. ‘What a bad girl you are! You’ve dropped your cake! Now I’ll have to go over and get you a whole new slice!’ And she walked around the tea party until she was on the other side of it to the hand. She pretended to clean up spilled cake, and to get Jemima another piece.”– Chapter XIII (page 193)
Notable Expressions Involving Food
Egg
If you look like a large, fluffy egg, then, surely, you have enough layers to face a cold, misty day!
“Miss Spink was bundled up in pullovers and cardigans, so she seemed more small and circular than ever. She looked like a large, fluffy egg. She wore thick glasses that made her eyes seem huge.”– Chapter II (page 24-25)
Apple
In chapter 5, the figure of speech involving the apple core and the maggot reaffirms the other mother’s sly and intrusive nature.
“There was a tiny doubt inside her, like a maggot in an apple core.“– Chapter V (page 81)
Ripe onions
“How big are souls anyways?” Ripe onions aren’t consumed in the book, but rather used as a reference point in chapter 8 to determine the size of the children’s lost souls.
“She was hoping the other mother would say something like ‘Nonsense, they’re the size of ripe onions – or suitcases – or grandfather clocks,’ but the other mother simply smiled, and the tap-tap-tapping of her fingernail against her eye was as steady and relentless as the drip of water droplets from the faucet into the sink.”– Chapter VIII (page 117-118)
Bread Dough
What would a bread dough face look like? A simile is used in chapter 6 when Coraline makes a rather amusing remark concerning the other father’s face.
“He looked less like her true father today. There was something slightly vague about his face – like bread dough that had begun to rise, smoothing out the bumps and cracks and depressions.”– Chapter VI (page 89-90)
The bread dough comparison reappears in chapter 9 when Coraline uncovers a pale thing with sticklike arms and two large black buttons for eyes in the abandoned cellar. (Spoiler alert: turns out it’s the other father!)
“In that dim light, it took her several seconds to recognize it for what it was: the thing was pale and swollen like a grub, with thin, sticklike arms and feet. It had almost no features on its face, which had puffed and swollen like risen bread dough.”– Chapter IX (page 136)
“Coraline patted its hairless head. Its skin was tacky, like warm bread dough.“– Chapter IX (page 138)
Old Milk
Does milk change color as it spoils? Maybe a yellowish tint one might think. Coraline refers to this odd color as she ventures into the empty flat looking for the last soul in chapter 9.
“The flat had walls the color of old milk. The wooden boards of the floor were uncarpeted and dusty with the marks and patterns of old carpets and rugs on them.”– Chapter IX (page 133)
Sour Vinegar/Wine And Moldy Bread
The smells of sour vinegar and moldy bread are not pleasant ones. At the empty flat, Coraline discovers a cellar that is most likely infested with all sorts of mildew and mold.
“Up through the hole came the smell of damp clay, and something else, an acrid tang like sour vinegar.”– Chapter IX (page 135)
“She took a deep breath (the smells of sour wine and moldy bread filled her head) and she pulled away the damp cloth, to reveal something more or less the size and shape of a person.”– Chapter IX (page 136)
Grapes
While exploring the dimly-lit cellar, Coraline tries to decipher the crude paintings on the walls. Eyes and grapes? What an odd design…
“It did not give up enough light even for Coraline to make out the things that had been painted onto the flaking cellar walls. The paintings seemed crude. There were eyes, she could see that, and things that might have been grapes. And other things, below them.”– Chapter IX (page 135)
Exotic foods
Coraline continues to be overwhelmed with upsetting food scents as she walks into Mr. Bobo’s flat in chapter 10. She must not be accustomed to Russian food.
“It smelled much worse in here than in the real crazy old man upstairs’s flat. That smelled of food (unpleasant food, to Coraline’s mind, but she knew that was a matter of taste: she did not like spices, herbs, or exotic things). This place smelled as if all the exotic foods in the world had been left out to go rotten.“– Chapter X (page 144)
